Cork woman: I found out I had breast cancer when I was just 11 weeks pregnant

BALLINCOLLIG woman Anna Murphy was 11 weeks pregnant when she found a lump in her breast, 14 weeks when she had her first surgery, and started chemo at 19 weeks, right up until her baby was born.

Now, thankfully having recovered, Anna is an ambassador for the 100K in 30 Days initiative in aid of The Marie Keating Foundation, which takes place throughout the month of June.

Anna is calling on everyone - runners, walkers, those in wheelchairs, families, colleagues, schools, community groups and sports teams, whether you’re based in Ireland or abroad - to join the, pink army and take part in the event, to support the charity who support people like her.

“The Marie Keating Survive and Thrive programme for survivorship helps people move on after a cancer diagnosis and it is a worldwide programme,” says Anna, who is mum to Yann, aged two-and-a half.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was expecting Yann in early June, 2000.

“I was 11 weeks pregnant when I found a lump on my right breast,” recalls Anna, 38.

“It was a huge shock. I went to my GP and I was referred to the Orchid Centre in CUH where I got an appointment for a breast examination, an ultra-sound and a biopsy.

“I didn’t have a mammogram because I was under 12 weeks pregnant. Two weeks later I was called back for the biopsy results.”

What was she thinking?

“I thought the fact that I was called back in person and told to bring someone with me; I thought, this is not good. I had no forewarning,” says Anna.

She was told that she had breast cancer.

“There was good news and bad news,” says Anna.

“I was told the cancer was operable and treatable and that I could continue with the pregnancy. I had surgery when I was nearly 14 weeks pregnant, and I started chemotherapy at 19 weeks up until the baby was born.”

Anna took everything in her stride.

“The treatment was quite tough, but with other medications I managed the side effects quite well,” she says.

“The medications worked quite well, even though I was just getting over morning sickness when I had the surgery.

“The chemotherapy wasn’t as bad as the morning sickness! I got through it OK.”

Anna is resilient.

“Yann was born in November, 2020, after I completed the chemotherapy treatment,” she says.

“There were a few complications because I got pneumonia, so Yann was delivered a bit early, and he was in the neo-natal for a few weeks. He was fine and home before Christmas.”

Anna recovered from pneumonia, and she was fine too.

“All was well,” says Anna.

The next while saw Anna, Yann, and his dad, Matthieu, managing and bonding with a new baby during lockdown.

“It was just us until my parents came to visit at Christmas,” says Anna.

“We didn’t see them again until February, so it was just us.”

Yann had the undivided attention of his parents.

“We were very lucky,” says Anna. “The baby thrived, and all was good with him - he had no colic or anything. I was lucky all went well with the pregnancy side of things.”

Was Anna frightened of getting treatment for cancer when she was expecting Yann?

“I suppose I was in shock,” she admits.

“Once I knew the baby was OK, I just got on with it. Once the baby was involved, I focused on that and did all I could to make sure he’d be OK.”

Mother and baby got the best of care.

“I got really good care in the CUH and in the CUMH,” says Anna.

“There is very good medical care available in Cork.”

Anna got involved in the Marie Keating Survive and Thrive programme in early 2021.

“I thought the programme would help me move on after having cancer,” she says.

“The course was over six weeks, one night a week for two hours. Because it was during lockdown, December until May, the course took place on Zoom.”

Who took part in the course?

“There were all cancer survivors who all shared their personal experiences,” says Anna.

“People shared their thoughts for the future and how the programme could help bring you through. They discussed the mental, physical and health aspects. They spoke about managing the side effects of having cancer and cancer treatment and how to get used to a new life in the aftermath.”

Anna was glad to make contact with other people that she could identify with.

“I hadn’t met anyone else with cancer,” says Anna. “Social distancing was in place in the hospital. I felt very isolated during the whole thing. I found great benefit in shared experiences.

“The Marie Keating programme was a lifeline for me when there was nothing in person.”

Anna kept in touch with the Marie Keating Foundation.

“When they were looking for an ambassador, I thought I’d like to do it,” says Anna. “I wanted to give something back.”

She wants to walk 100K in 30 days.

“It’s all about getting out in the outdoors in the nice weather,” says Anna.

“There is no need to be sporty or fit; you can walk or run roughly 3K a day; it’s for a really good cause.”

Yann will be out in the great outdoors.

“He’s two-and-a-half now,” says Anna. “It’s a lovely age and he is thriving. We have a great child-minder.”

Anna is thriving too.

“Life is good.”

UPCOMING FUNDRAISER

2023 is the fourth year of the 100K in 30 days event, sponsored by Sherry FitzGerald. More than €4 million has been raised for breast cancer services in Ireland.

Ronan Keating will be taking part to show support for the Foundation he and his siblings set up in his mum’s name.

Joining Ronan in the challenge is his wife Storm, children Missy and Jack, Dancing with the Stars judge Arthur Gourounlian, Today FM presenter Dara Quilty, and broadcasters Glenda Gilson, Norah Casey, Laura Woods and Anna Daly, to name but a few who have also lent their support.

Organisers are calling on everyoneto sign up. Registration is now open at www.100kin30days.ie.

You can follow the campaign on Instagram @100kin30days or Twitter hashtags #100kin30days & #pinkarmy

A WORTHY CAUSE

It is 25 years since the Marie Keating Foundation was set up, following Marie’s death from breast cancer in 1998. After losing their mother, the Keating family promised that they would do everything they could to ensure men and women in every community in Ireland had access to the necessary information to prevent cancer or detect it at it’s earliest stages.

The Marie Keating Foundation supports families across Ireland at every step of their cancer journey.

Ronan Keating said: “We lost Mum 25 years ago, she was just 51. Her cancer was one of the most curable forms of breast cancer but unfortunately she didn’t know enough about it.

“That’s why it’s crucial that we get the message out there of the importance of early detection, it can save your life! So much money has been raised by so many people over the last three years and The Marie Keating Foundation are very grateful to be the chosen charity for the 2023 100k in 30 Days challenge, and we will do all we can to make this the best year yet.”

Through it’s community information service, the Foundation’s nurses have engaged with more than 600,000 people about causes and risk factors of cancer. The Foundation offers national cancer awareness and education campaigns covering the most common cancers affecting people in Ireland, including bowel, testicular, breast, cervical, lung, prostate and skin cancer.

Given the fact that there are more than 200,000 cancer survivors in Ireland today, the Marie Keating Foundation supports cancer patients through its Positive Living and Survive & Thrive programmes, which are run nationwide free of charge, for men and women.

Over 1,200 cancer survivors have attended courses and seminars since the programmes’ inception in 2014. The Survive & Thrive Programme is aimed at assisting anyone who has come through treatment and adjust to their ‘new normal’ and offer practical advice and help in many areas of life including diet and exercise, emotional support and adjusting to returning to work. The Positive Living programme is for men and women living with advanced cancer and supports them in coping with their specific physical and psychological needs. The Foundation’s recently launched survivorship website www.surviveand thrive.ie has a host of information and advice for anyone living with or beyond cancer.